Quilting

I'm just freewheeling around here, but it's fun, and I quite like how it's coming up.

Not long now, and this one will be finished. Looking forward to moving on to the next thing :-)

So, what have I been up to this past week?

I'm still working away at the Noah and Friends quilt - I have to finish one more block, and then I can put the top together and add the final borders. It will be a relief when it's done.

It's really quite cute isn't it?

And I've also pieced and quilted about a bazillion (okay - 8) Christmas themed placemats.

Hopefully they'll be bound and finished by this time next week, and then I can work on some more Farmers Wife blocks - I'm dying to get back into them.

And speaking of the Farmers Wife:

I received a comment last week from Danish Lisbet, she asked what fabrics I'm using in my Farmers Wife quilt. I couldn't reply directly as her email address wasn't enabled. So here is my answer:

The red is by Judie Rothermel - Cocheco Mills Collection
The mustard is by Kaye England - Remember When
The pink is by Judie Rothermel - Charleston IV
The cream print is by Judie Rothermel - Sturbridge Village Greens

I hope this helps Lisbet - some of the fabrics are a few years old now, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to get similar prints to achieve the same look.

Well, that's it from me - I hope to check back in soon. xox

Noah and Friends project

Just thought I'd quickly share a project that I've been working on, off and on for a little while now. It belongs to a sweet lady that I used to do some quilting for - she brought it to me because she was having all sorts of problems putting the blocks together. She'd accidentally cut the background fabric squares too small, and just couldn't get the top to lay flat. I've taken it all apart and I'm putting it back together for her - it seemed such a shame to abandon the project, and she'd done such a lovely job with the applique.

Isn't it sweet? It's a Kookaburra Cottage block of the month project, called Noah and Friends. I'm really looking forward to giving her top back complete - it's going to look just lovely!

Another Hungry Caterpillar

Just now I've finished quilting Lyn's Hungry Caterpillar quilt. I don't quilt for others anymore, but Lyn is the lovely girl I work with, and I'd made her a promise about this quilt quite a while ago. Also, her work is just so perfect that her projects are always a pleasure to quilt.


Lyn got really busy with her quilt and ordered extra fabric to make hers quite a bit larger, which is a good thing really, makes it more of a single bed size rather than a cot or throw size like Camo's is. I'll be thrilled to pass it back to her next week :-)

I'm still appliqueing on the Seven Sisters block, still a few stars to go, but I'm dying to put a Nearly Insane block together, so I think one of those will be next on the agenda. Chatter soon! xox

Sashing & Critters

Things are a little busy here at Chez Tazzie. It's the whole gearing up for Christmas thing - accompanied by a special 15th birthday, and trying to finish off the last of the quilting (two to go! yay!). Hence the scarce blog posts - hopefully that will improve by the last of the year :-)

After a little time stewing over my 'turning four-t' blocks, I think this is the fabric I'd like to use for the sashing strips. Accompanied by repro yellow cornerstones - I think this DJ print could work. I'll have to lay all the blocks out and see if it flies. Hmmm ... I could have taken a better picture, but what do you all think about the fabric?

And speaking of Turning Four-T - it looks like it'll have to be renamed. After all, I've now Turned Four-T ... so I guess the quilt will too :-)

And I just had to share this giraffe from a quilt I've been working on today. I don't know any details re pattern etc, but I'll be sure to check for you all - this guy is adorable!

Prue's Next Quilt

Just a quicky photo for you. I took this with my cell phone camera at the shop the other day. This is Prue's latest quilt, and it is just adorable with a capital A!

It's hard to tell from my picture, but it's all made with Asian prints, and she has fussy cut a lot of them to highlight the little people, geisha's and lovely flowers. This is a quilt that could easily bully it's way into first place on my 'must do' list. Well done Prue, it's just gorgeous.

In news of my own, I've finally finished the four-t blocks, and as I have the time I'll start sashing the rows together. I've found the most wonderful fabric, so work can begin asap.

And just so you know, I'm taking a little blog break - probably no more than the distance between this and my last post. I'll fill you in the news shortly. Be good, and I'll chatter soon! xox

More Quilting

Here's the reverse side of some quilting I did today. Finished the top - yay! - check one more off the list.

I'm happy with this one - no thread bobbles on the reverse. Some more practice with the back-tracking, and I'll be entirely thrilled. Happy days :-)

I noticed after I posted my 'Turning Four-T' blocks last time that I have made them up wrong! The newest blocks should not have the background fabric in the middle. Makes sense now - I couldn't figure out why I hadn't cut that piece. I had - but with the correct fabric. After I've finished my chores tonight, I'll put the blocks to rights. I don't think I can live with them as they are.

Thank you to everyone for the lovely comments about Jenny's quilt. I don't know if there is a pattern available for the quilt - I learned when she collected it that she made it up at a workshop. When I next see her I'll check to see who the designer is and if they have released the pattern for sale. Chatter soon. xox

Jenny's Quilt

Isn't this quilt just lovely? It was made by Jenny who kindly agreed for me to share a picture with you.

Jenny has made so many gorgeous quilts, and I've been so lucky to be able to quilt on a number of them for her.

This pattern is just delightful and I feel like I may have to make one for myself. I'll add it to the very-very long list that I have.

Prue's Quilt

Well now, will you look at those tumbleweeds blowing through my blog - it's like a little ghost-blog :-) I've thought of you all often, but really haven't had anything to share. It has been work, work and more work - and nothing the slightest bit interesting.

But today, at the shop, I insisted that Prue allow me to take a picture of her with her lovely quilt. That's her on the left, and Carol from Maine on the right. I quilted on her top during the week, and handed it back to her today. Isn't it so pretty? She made it up from a really cute jelly roll, and the border fabric she selected is just to die for. You can't see it, but the back is pieced from coordinating fabrics, and is just sensational too.

The picture isn't the best quality, it's from my phone-camera - but let's face it, no matter what camera I'm using, photography isn't one of my finest skills :-)

Marty is away with work tonite, so once Camo is in bed, I plan to stitch into the night as late as I can manage (while still being able to get up in the morning). It's just the two of us at the moment. Yesterday, Amy (the very lucky girl) flew off to Vanuatu with my parents. My goodness, what a wonderful school holiday she'll be having. Camo will be off at some point spending some quality time with Marty during the holidays, and I'm going to spend some solo time catching up on a million quilting projects and just generally recharging. Bring it on!

Prue's Quilt

I've just finished quilting on Prue's quilt. It's VERY cute, and I love how she's put it together.

It was such fun working on the feathers in the border and giving the flowers dimension. As I get more confident, I'm looking forward to exploring more 'filler' options. All in good time ...

In other news - my website has inexplicably come back to life. However, my ISP won't be hosting anymore come the end of September. Something I'll deal with a little closer to the date.

Also, there is some interest in the thread I used the the runner from the last post - I'll take a picture of the spools when I remember and post about them. I just don't know what the thread is called - so, stay tuned!

Jenny's Runner

My dear friend Jenny made this runner recently, and I just love it so much! I really enjoyed quilting on it too.

With her permission, today I have started putting my own version together using some of my precious Sturbridge Village Green charm squares. It is destined to be a gift for a precious friend.

I've just completed the centre part, so I have now only to put the narrow and outer borders in place. I hope to have the top finished tomorrow, and I'll then share a picture. Yay for a little piecing in my life :-)

Pauline's Quilt

This is Pauline's quilt, I handed it back to her today. It's called 'Happy Days' and it's a Mum's Moment pattern. I just love this quilt, and I've seen several from the girls at the store. Pauline has made hers up with scraps left over from her own projects, and also the bits and pieces from buddies who have made up this same quilt - a very fun way to make up a memory quilt.

One of these days I'll make one for Amy - she's requested one of her own several times. I'll just have to wait for those 'spare moments' that are so few and far between. Amy has requested hers to be made up in purple and green only. It's a decor thing.

Quilting and Stash Enhancement

Recently, I may or may not have pressed a few buttons at a couple of my favourite quilt fabric stores. From Hancocks of Paducah, I selected the fabrics in the above picture. And on backorder one of the Moda Scrap Bags. I can't wait to see what that's like :-)

From Z and S, the fabrics above arrived a few days later. I'm sure it's quite obvious that I'm a reproduction-fabric girl.

Just a few minutes ago I finished quilting on my friend Jenny's table runner. It's the most darling thing, made with a charm pack and a little yardage. I had fun quilting on it, and can't wait to get busy on another project.

I'm almost done working on the super secret item I've been working on (it's a gift) so, very soon I'll be returning to my regularly-scheduled-blogging :-)

Spider Webs and Easter Eggs

On Wednesday evening I hurriedly made up an Easter present for Camo's school teacher. She's been entirely wonderful for him this year, and I wanted to show our appreciation. I made a spider web block, quilted it up and presented it with a Lindt bunny.

In the rush to get it all together, I neglected to take a picture of the finished article. The pattern is so cute and I wanted to make some more, so I put together the ones in the picture last night, and I'll hopefully quilt them tonite. They're made up using the same fabrics as the ones for the teacher, and these new ones will be a gift for my Mum if they work up nicely.

And today I quilted this top - I'm entirely in love with it! Jenny made it up with the most lovely reproduction fabrics, and I'm thinking I'm going to have to make up one of my own. I'll add it to my already very long list.

Last of all - Happy Easter to all my blogging buddies. From my family to yours, we hope you have a wonderful weekend with your families and friends. x o x

Table Runner

I've been a quilting fool this week - I'm sure you can tell by my blog-absence that I've been occupied elsewhere.

This is Mira's Shoo-Fly Table Runner - I quilted it the other day, and I really like how it turned out. It's only her second project ever, and I'm so proud of her and the way she's just caught the piecing bug, and is not ever hoping to recover!

I have only one quilt left to work on, and I'll consider myself all caught up. Then I'm going to start piecing on my 'Four T's' blocks. I'm just dying to work on something of my own. Whatever happened to those days when I could just work on whatever I pleased for as long as I wanted??

It's not about me ...

It's all about the customers today ...

First up, I'm just quilting on a few baby quilts for a friend, and I really wanted to share this cute border - isn't it sweet? I think I shall file this one away for a future project - very cute indeed. I love the combination of the red dots and the fruits. Very sweet.

And last for today - a surprise from a few days back - a customer came into the shop to share a little show and tell. She'd made up one of my quilts - Purple Hearts. It's always so nice to see grandbabies come back to visit. I figure they're babies of my quilts, and therefore grandbabies :-)

Still quilting busily - I've done four quilts over the past five days, so I'm really starting to catch up now.

Oriental Traditions

Over the last few days I've been working on Maureen's quilt - it's called Oriental Traditions, and it's simply gorgeous - the fabrics are delightfully rich, and it was a delight to quilt on. I gave it back to her today, and she was so happy with it - it really makes my heart sing.

Life has been crazy busy lately, with work, patterns, quilting and my regular "nothing to do with quilting" life. I'm really hoping that things will slow down a little soon, because I'm starting to get a little sleep deprived. I'm sure you've noticed that my blogging has suffered somewhat, and I'm not catching up with you all as much as I'd like. I have noticed though that I'm not seeing a lot of blogs coming up on bloglines, am I the only one experiencing this, or is it a universal problem?

And in unrelated news - I had a couple of questions recently regarding the reproduction fabric line that came into the store last week, it's the Windham Emigrant Trail range, and I just love it. Be sure to check it out. I can't wait to get my hands on some!!

Better run, I have another pattern order to prepare tonite, and then I plan to be early to bed. Let's see if I get there :-)

Nine Patch and Stars

This is a customer quilt I'm working on this weekend. I'm completely in love with the colours and the simplicity of the design. Just nine patches and stars set on point - simple but gorgeous.

I'm going to add this to the list of 'must make someday' quilts - I can see this eating up a whole bunch of my scraps.

There is a cool change brewing right now - we're expecting a low tonight of 17c (63f) and a high tomorrow of 25c (77f) - it's going to be bliss!

Jenny's been busy :-)

** Late edit for somewhat better picture :-) **

Isn't this quilt just lovely? It belongs to my friend Jenny S - I just started quilting on it this morning, and it's a pleasure to work on. The quilt itself is so simple, but so effective, and the darling bright fabrics really just make it sing.

Over the weekend, I spent some quiet time hand quilting on my Holiday Wholecloth table topper. It's a Christmas project, there is no way it's going to be ready for this Christmas, and at the rate I'm going, probably not the next one either. But that's not the point, I'm enjoying the process, and that's what matters :-)

Thank you all for your kind wishes and get well messages. I've had three days worth of antibiotics now, and while I'm still quite croaky, I'm definitely on the mend.

Nancy's Christmas Quilt

This is Nancy's quilt, and I just finished quilting it. She made it in my Christmas in July workshop earlier this year. My original quilt was called Cinnamon Christmas, as the pictures in the centre of the quilt blocks had pictures that reminded me of cinnamon and spices. Nancy's quilt has Dickens type pictures in the centre of the blocks, so it could be called 'A Dickens Christmas'.

I'm taking it to the store tomorrow, firstly so that Nancy can pick it up when she pops in next week, but secondly because we're running an additional Christmas workshop tomorrow, and it will be nice for the participants to see an additional colourway for this particular quilt.

A couple more things for me to do - I'll just get all my class notes together for tomorrow, then stitch a binding on another quilt - make the lunches for tomorrow, and then I'll call it a night.